Storage battery guarantee label



0d 16, 1956 J. GRINER STORAGE BATTERY 'GUARANTEE LABEL .Filed April 1e. 1952 :inventor .eS//SJ Gtornegs United States Patent tlice v2,767,238 Patented Oct. 16, 195.6

STORAGE BATTERY GUARANTEE LABEL Leslie J. Griner, Detroit, Mich., assignor of one-third to Harold L. McAtee, La Vale, Md., and one-third to Roland K. Burgio, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Application April 16, 1952, Serial No. 232,734

2 Claims. Y (Cl. 136-181) This invention relates to storage batteries and, in particular, to guarantee cards or labels for such batteries.

Manufacturers of storage batteries sustain losses running into many hundred thousands of dollars per year in fraudulent claims presented on such batteries which have been returned to the manufacturer as having a1- legedly failed within the guarantee period of 90 days, whereas they have actually been subjected to service much longer than 90 days. Storage batteries as at present marketed are sold with guarantee cards which are supposed -to be filled out by the dealer when the battery is sold. Actually, many dealers neglect to ll out the card at the time that the battery -is sold, with 4the result that when-the battery is returned for a refund for having failed in service, the customer fills inthe dates and speedometer reading to suit his own convenience in order to enable him to place the date of returning the guarantee period. Moreover, certain dealers as va favor to their customers will sometimes lill out Ithe guarantee card with false data, thereby defrauding the manufacturer.

The battery guarantee card or label of the present invention is permanently lattached to the battery itself by having a portion anchored in the sealing compound in the ltop of rthe battery box, a detachable ticket being provided which duplicates the data given on hte label permanently attached to the battery box.

One object of this invention is to provide a storage battery guarantee card or label which is permanently attached to the storatge battery and is sold with the battery, a ticket being detachably attached to the card or label and bearing duplicate identification information and the sales date, the same as on the card or label.

Another object is to provide a storage battery guarantee card or label of the foregoing character wherein a portion of the card or label is embedded in the sealing compound by which the top of the battery is secured .to fthe battery box or case, with or without perforations to permit interpenetration ofthe sealing compound.

Another object is to provide a storage battery guarantee card or label of the foregoing character wherein there is provided a depression in the battery case to receive the card or label so that it will not be defaced during shipment or use.

Another object is to provide a storage battery guarantee card or label of the foregoing character wherein the detachable -ticket is detachably attached to the remainder of the card or label and projects upward out of the sealing compound lat the edge of the top of the battery until the battery is sold, whereupon the ticket `is torn oif and retained by the dealer, leaving the card with the duplicate data in the hands of the customer.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is "a fragmentary side elevation of the upper portion of a storage battery, equipped w1th the guarantee label or card of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the storage battery 2 equipped with the guarantee card or label shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken along the line 3-3 in Figure 1, showing the card or label attached to the battery by having a neck portion embedded in the sealing compound;

Figure 4 is a perspective View of thev battery guarantee card or label with its attached ticket, before the application to the battery;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a modi'ed battery guarantee card or label and ticket; and

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section similar to Figure 3, but showing the manner of embedding the modilied battery guarantee card or label of Figure 5v in the battery sealing compound.

Referring to the drawing in detail, Figure 4 shows a battery guarantee card, generally designated 10, according to the present invention 'and including a main or data portion 11, a casing edge engaging portion 12, an immersion portion 13, 14, 15 adapted to be embedded in the battery sealing compound, as explained below, and a detachable dealers ticket or stub portion 16 duplicating certain of the data on the data portion 11. The card 10 is preferably made of wear and weather-resisting material, such as synthetic plastic, and imprinted with rthe necessary identifying data, including a means (not shown) for perforating the data portion 11 of the card to indicate the date on which the battery was sold. The perforations are preferably arranged with the punchings partly attached to the remainder of the card so that the proper punchings relating Vto the date of sale may be pushed out with a pencil or other pointed object at the time the sale is made, without requiring the use of a punch.

The various portions of the card 10 are provided with fold lines 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 Iat which the card is bent to adapt it to fit the varying configuration of the top and edge of Ithe battery box. Perforations 22 are preferably provided in order to enable .the sealing compound to penetrate the immersion portions 13, 14 and 15 more easily to facilitate installation. The ticket portion 16 =to be retained by the dealer is provided with duplicate data corresponding to the data on the data portion 11, such as the -serial number of the battery and the date of sale, and the bending or folding line 21 is preferably weakened in a conventional way `to facilitate tearing olf the ticket portion 16 to be retained by the dealer.

The storage battery, generally designa-ted 30, to which the guarantee card or label 10 is attached is for the mos-t part of conventional construction and includes the usual battery box or casing 31, .top portions 32 of the individual cells 33 engaging one another a-t the ledges 34 (Figure 3), the top portions 32 having downwardly bent portions 35 with horizontal flanges 36 engaging the ledges 34, the casing side walls 37 having downwardly sloping top edge portions 38 which terminate in vertical portions 39 engaging the edges 40 of the horizontal anges 36. The foregoing construction results in the formation of a groove or `depression 41 at the edge of `the battery casing 31 which is ordinarily filled with a sealing compo-und 42 of -asphaltic material.

For the purposes of the present invention, the battery box or casing 31 is provided on one side thereof with a recess portion 43 (Figures 1 and 3) suthciently deep and of suicient size to receive the data portion 11 of the guarantee card or label 10, the battery box or casing 31 being notched as at 44 at its upper edge (Figure 2) so as to facilitate the passage of the upper part of the card or label 10 over the upper edge 45 of the battery casing side wall 37. In this manner, the data portion 11 is disposed below the outer surface 46 of the battery box or casing 31 so as not to be scutfed or defaced during transportation, storage or use,

Vindicatirm of fraud jor at leastrmistake.

sVV

The` portion 12 of the cardV or label-10 rests upon. the` top edge 45 of the battery box or casing 31, and the Vperforated portions 13, V14 and 15 are bent so asY to extend;VY downward into the: groove orV depression 4L beY tweenthefedge of the cell top 32 and the battery creasing 31..` VWhilr-the cardior' label 10 bentrin this planner, the seeding compound 42, which1 is in a` plastic condition, is placed: in 'the recess or depression 41.' and forced through the 'perforations 2 2, llinfg the depression- 41 'and firmly embedding the' perforatedp'ortion's 13, 14

and 1,5l therein. This procedure leaves the dealersr ticket Vportion 16 projecting-above the top surfaces 47 and 48 ofthe sealih'gfcompouid 42 andY cell top 32 respectively.

In the use of lthe guarantee'rcardfor label' 10, let it be aunred'thatzthe'cardihasr'been installed in themanner shown Figures' '1, 2 and' 3"With the anchoring' port-ionV consistingorw'the p'erforatedportions '13, I4' and 15 bent the: recess or depression: 41 by means of the sealing cornpoundv 42, 'With'the ticket 1'6 projecting upward. It is assumed; of' course,A that duplicate identication data have Vbeen appliedV at the factory 'to the data portion 11? and ticket'6, including the serial number of the battery as (Well as itsY voltage, numberof plates, rating Vin ampere hoursand other necessaryinformation. 'When the battery is sold, the dealer either stampsl'the date on the data portion 11 and ticket 16,V orf preferably punches out the perforations opposite dates already stamped on these portions. YHe `then tears off' the ticket 16 and retains itV in h-is possession, the ticket V16being preferably equipped with 4the same perforated data indication'which cannot afterward be altered.

lf the battery'fals during the guarantee period, theY Vcustomer returns it to the 'dealer who then is lable to Videntify it with the ticket 16 which he retained. It' jthe perforation. system is used, the ydata is unalterably Vre- Y corded so as to* eliminate the possibility of fraud which Y has previously existed. If the da-tes in 'the data portion 11 and Iticket portions 16 `do not agree, it is a self-evident Y The customer may then'obtainran adjustment if claim is la legitimate a one falling within Vthe guarantee Vlgxeriod of the battery.'

TheY modifiedl battery guarantee card r label, generally designated 60, shownfin Figures and 6, is similar principle to Ithe card or label10 shown in Figuresl to 4A inclusive and is similarly Yapplied to the battery. n It also has a Vdata portion 61 and a top edge-engaging portion 62,

, embedding'portionsY 63, 64, 65 randadetachableticket portion 66. These portions arebent relativelyV to vone another in a ysimilar Vmanner along the bending lines 6,7,

68, 69, 'l'and 71 corresponding to the bending lines 17 to 21 inclusive of Figure 4. In place ofthe perforationsV 22 of the card yor label' 10, the card or label 60 is provided with tabsV 72 bent downwardly from opposite ends ofthe portion 64 along the bending lines 73 and 74 torprovide connecting portions 65 and'feet 76 which are embedded in the sealing compound 42 at a greater depth thanV the portions 63, 64 and 75, as shownin Figure 6. An `aperture 777 isgoptionally provided in the center of the emr bedded portion 64 for facilitating distibution of Ithesealing compound 42 inthe same Vmanner and for the Ysaine purpose as the perforations 22 of Vthe 'card for label4 10. The use and marking'of the card or label 60 is similar Y Y2,767,238 y to that of the guarantee card 71 in the same manner andv retained by the dealer.

What'I claim is:'

l. In combination with'a storage'battery having a cas# ing with a cavity adjacent'the topedge thereof, ia doubleyended batteryrlabel comprising a sheet member which AisVV approximately SJsh'aped in longitudinal section having at one lend a main portion disposed adjacent the'side of said Y casing, a top' portion joined to said Vmain portion Iand extending acrossY the'top edge of said casing,V an intermediate anchoring portion connected to said top portion and clipping downwardly into-said cavity, and a'detach- Vinto'LI-shaped coniguratioriKFigure 3') and embedded'in Y Y able upstanding stub portionat the'other end ofsaid sheet member connected to lsaid anchoring portion'on the opposite side thereof from saidmain portion and top portion and risi-ngout of and above saidV cavity; and asealing compound disposed 'in fsa-id! cavity,V said compound' overlying and burying-'said anchoringportion'inY said' cavity',- said stub portion andls'aid main portion having duplicate battery-'identifying indicia ti'lereon-fspeciiicY to theparticu-V .Y V lar battery to WhichV said label Vis attached wherebyV the' Y comparison of the stub portion detached and retained by the dealer upon sale 'ofthe battery with the main portion Y. anchored' to andY soldA with the battery prevents fraudulentV retum Yof the battery afterexpiration of the guarantee period thereof. Y Y j 2. In combination with a 'storagerbatery having a cas- `ingwith. acavity adjacent-the top edge thereof, -a doubleended battery' label' comprising a sheet member which *isl approximately S-shaped in longitudinal section having at one end a. mainportion 'disposed adjacent the side ofsaid Y casing, a Ytop portion 'joined' to Ysaid main portion and extending across thetop edge of said casing, fan intermediate anchoring portion connected'torsaid top portion and dipping downwardly into said cavity, and a detachableV upstanding stub portion` atthc: other end of, saidV sheet' member connected to said anchoring portion on the oppositezside thereof from said main portion and top por? Y tion and risingrout of andy above said cavity; and a sealing compound disposed in: -said cavity,VY saidV compound Voli/'erlying 'andbu-rying saidranchoring portion insaid cavity,v said anchor-ing portion being of approximately Ushaped configuration .in longitudinal section, said stub portion and said main portionliaving duplicatebattery-identifying Vindicia thereonspecificV to the particularV battery to'v'vhich v said label isr'attached whereby the comparison of -thestub portion ydetached and retained by the'dealcr upon sjaleof the'b'aittery with `the main portion anchored to and sold Ywith the Ybattery prevents fraudulent return of the battery after expiration of' the guarantee periodthereo'f.

ReferencesCited in the Yfile of this patent UNITEDl STATES PATENTS or label 10, the ticket 66.AV Y being detached along the preferably weakened folding lineV Y 

